Remembering 9/11 and Our Call to Action

It is now 21 years since those tragic events of 9/11. Two buildings struck by two airplanes and demolished in the center of New York. The symbol of military might, the Pentagon, struck by a third plane. A fourth plane, crashing in central Pennsylvania, destined for who knows where, yet averted by the heroic efforts of Americans.

In preparation for this message, I viewed again those images of national disaster, of nation tragedy, and of national sorrow. I have thought long and hard of those Americans who have lost their lives on the fields of battle in both Afghanistan, and Iraq. I have remembered the barbaric and cowardly attacks by an enemy that refused to put on a uniform, and takes the lives of not only combatants, but of the innocent, the neutral, and those seeking only to serve and help.

We have come to a place nationally where we have accepted this as a “status quo”. We have accepted the idea of see something say something, where we attune ourselves to be vigilant and snsitive to the outpuring of hate

For the believer in Christ there is more. There must be more, and the Bible declares that there is more. Our society asks us to be sensitive to the symptoms. Our God asks us to be sensitive to the disease.

For our key text this morning I want to turen to the book of 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

TRANSITION: As you look at the text before you, I would like you to see several points …

It All Starts With Us

if my people

A Notice that it all starts with God’s people - this is a verse that is very often taken out of context to serve national interests. I would like to submit toy ou this morning that this verse was not spoken to nor spoken about America. However, I am equally glad to submit to you this morning that it IS a verse that God’s people in AMerica can rely on and believe in.

B Notice that it is conditional – “IF”

1 Conditions have terms – you are to be involved

2 Conditions have consequences – should you choose not to be involved

C God’s people must step up to the plate and take responsibility for our nation.

1 Political Responsibility

a Pray for your leaders to make the right decisions

b Support your leaders in their right decisions

c Involve yourself in politics and bring a biblical perspective

2 Spiritual Responsibility

Exodus 17:8–13 ESV

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

a Battle against an enemy

b Involved people involved in God’s plan

c Involved people involved with people involved in God’s plan

YOU CAN ONLY HAVE POINT MEN WHEN YOU HAVE SUPPORT MEN. A POINT MAN WITH NO SUPPORT IS A COOKED GOOSE!

3 Moral Responsibility

James 4:17 ESV

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

It Involves A Recognition of Our Relationship With God

called by my name

A Who called you when you got saved

Romans 1:6 ESV

including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 ESV

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

B We have got to understand that we are ALL the called people of God!

1 How called are you?

a Most of us are not acting as called as we are!

b Too busy grumbling

c Too busy complaining

d Too busy with everything else but our calling

2 God is telling believers that the blessings of our land fall upon them and their repentance.

a The person that does not know Christ is not going to see things from God’s perspective.

b They do not know God, and they do not care about following the will or plan of God

c The believer does know God’s will and plan, but refuses to get on board.

d Always something else to get in the way

e Always someone else to pull us away

f The end result is that we do not become the called people of God that we are suppose to be

1) We do not take seriously what was behind our call

2) We do not take seriously what God did to provide our call

3) We do not see our selves as a part of the process

Demand For Action

A Humble Ourselves

1 To bring one self into subjection to God

2 This involves dealing with my own sin – a purposeful admitting of my sin before my God

3 We cannot be lifted up till we have been made low

B Pray

1 We pray in order to seek forgiveness

2 It is one thing to admit that I have sinned

3 It is another to speak to the one I have sinned against

4 Sins are not forgiven until we have asked for forgiveness

5 We have become a group of people who may admit our sin, but we never get around to seeking forgiveness from the one we have sinned against.

C Seek the face of God

1 The word “seek” means to search for something that is lost or missing.

2 Then to secure what you have found so as to not lose it again!

a Security comes from protection against an enemy

b Security comes when we do not lose sight of what we are securing!

D Turn from our wicked ways

1 The word means to leave where you have backslidden and to follow another to where you should be